Unexploded bombs, land mines and other unexploded ordnance present a very risky handling problem. Often, the unexploded device is buried under the top soil and must be carefully exposed by excavation. Where an unexploded device is discovered in an area proximate to populated neighborhoods, the handling of such device presents a significant risk to surrounding people and property.
The preferred method of handling an explosive discovered at a particular site is to first surround the explosive with a suitable containment structure which will contain any unintended detonation of the explosive and which will contain the resulting fragmentation of the detonated explosive. There are problems, however, with the use of such containment structures. The erection of custom-built containment structures is generally expensive and time-consuming. However, the use of prefabricated containment structures is often unsatisfactory as well. This is because such prefabricated containment structures are of a predetermined size and shape. The problem in this regard is that explosives are often discovered in locations crowded with various obstacles, such as buildings, trees, boulders and hillocks. Unless a prefabricated containment structure is available which happens to fit among the various obstacles at the site where the explosive is located, a prefabricated containment structure cannot be used.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method for handling explosives which avoids these problems in the prior art.